Be Ready Before You See an Editor: What to Expect from an Editor

February 24, 2013

Editors are here for one thing–to get your story ready for the world, whether that is self-publishing or a publishing house. Before seeing an editor, there are some things to have ready. Pypeline Editing is going to get you prepared, no matter which editor you go with. Below are three tips to take into account, which will have you so ready your book will practically publish itself.

1. Do Not Have an Editor Edit Your First Draft: You need to be incredibly confident in the manuscript you are handing over. If you think the story is lacking or you haven’t reread it since you wrote it, you should wait. Make the most out of the money you spend on editing by doing what you can yourself.

2. Be Ready for All Forms of Feedback: This is tough. The book is your baby. You handcrafted it and are going to be sensitive. When paying for professional editing you need to be prepared for all forms of feedback. If an editor says a section is weak or something needs work and you decide to ignore it–that could mean publishing houses turning away from your novel or readers refusing to purchase your book.

3. Hit Common Ground with Your Editor: Like we said an editor’s job is to get your story ready, to make it amazing. However, it is still your book. Make sure an editor does not strip out what is essentially you. This shaky ground, you as the author are responsible for the success of the book as you wrote it and you are the powerhouse behind it. You also want to make sure this is a book you are proud of. If you see an editor who changes your story to something unrecognizable, that is an issue.

Editing is a process that takes time, passion and money. Make sure all your ducks are in a row before you contact your editors today. As always, if you have questions, let Pypeline Editing know. We are here to help.

When recently building my new website, I needed a new description for my about page. I wanted to step out of it and decided to ask Pypeline to see Dog Gone Silly from their prospective. Not only was it done in an immediate timeframe, but with a couple of minor adjustments I requested..… they nailed it! Using Pypeline for future projects will be an absolute.”